As the track and field team spends part of their Christmas break in Haiti, we will have daily updates from members of the squad. Today's updates come from Alexander McMeen and Lacey Printz.

While I was sitting on the plane heading to Cap Haitien today, I was praying that God would put something on my heart that I could share open and honestly. Something that is extremely relevant in not only my life, but also the lives of others. Whether one person is reading this, or 100 people, or it is me blogging to myself, I want this to be filled with Christ’s identity. After all, isn’t that something our lives are supposed to be about?

We put our trust in others blindly throughout each and every day. From the moment we wake up, until the moment we go to bed, our trust is in someone or something. We put out trust in the pilot that he knew how to operate a plane, and that the other pilot had the confidence to step in if something were to go wrong. We trusted that the instruments in the plane were all working properly and that there was enough fuel in the tank to get us here. We trusted that our bags and supplies would arrive, in order to carry out our purpose for this trip. Whatever thing or person you put your trust in, insert it here. When I hear people say they don’t trust others, it makes me want to scream FALSE! Whether we realize it or not, we put our trust in other things or people all day every day.

The question that I have is to whom or what are we putting our trust in? I am talking to myself before anyone else on this subject. I believe it is why God placed it on my heart. I really do. Am I putting my trust in the Lord God Almighty? The one who formed this earth from nothing in a week? The one who raised the one and only perfect man, Jesus, from the dead after people like myself crucified him? I have moments where I trust him, but do I trust him with the reckless abandon he so desperately wants and deserves from me? If we fully trust in God and who he is, then we know the outcome of this question! Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your path straight.”

A straight path doesn’t mean living a perfect life. It doesn’t mean we are going to live out the broken concept of the “American dream”. It means exactly what the verse says, “trust in the Lord”. Not our family, friends, or ourselves, but in everything we do from the moment we wake up until the moment we go to sleep we put our trust in God. In who he is and who he calls us to be.

Not only is this my prayer this week for us, or for anyone back home reading this, but for every single day we walk this earth because of the grace God has given us to glorify His Kingdom. I pray this boldly because it is not easy. It is not supposed to be. I am going to mess up. We are going to mess up. But God is there to pick us up and set us on that straight path again. God is good. I hear people say that a lot, but it could not be truer. Almost all of the lights are out at the Cap Haitien Children’s Home, and I could not be happier that the light from this computer has yet to go out, for I have been blessed with an opportunity beyond measure. Each member of this trip has. I just pray that we will all place our trust in God, “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal” 2 Corinthians 4:18. I can’t wait for you all to experience this week with our brothers and sisters here in Haiti.

God Bless and goodnight,

Alexander

Sitting on the plane to Fort Lauderdale, FL I could feel my excitement and anxieties steepening as we were preparing for take off. The realization that this was my very first mission trip and that I was going to Cap Haitian, Haiti, the number one impoverished country in the world, made me eager to be a light to these people. For the past three months we have been preparing spiritually and mentally and I could feel my heart being opened up to all that God had in store for this trip. For it was His unfailing love and spirit that had moved my heart to join an incredible team of believers seeking to bring love to the orphans at Cap Haitian Children’s Home in the first place. The CHCH’s mission is “serve children, serve God” and that is what I was so excited to do.

As the plane eventually lifted off of the ground, I could feel my nerves rising. I opened up my bible for comfort and guidance and found myself in Philippians 4:6-7. This verse says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Jesus Christ.” God asks that we install all of our fears and anxieties on Him so that He may give us strength in return for our burdens. Reading this verse also sparked something in my heart.

Sitting beside one of my best friends, Alex Newby, we expressed our thankfulness that we had the opportunity to serve such an incredible God. And after talking with her for a while it was evident of our desire to create daily themes that we would like to accomplish throughout this missions trip. Our goal is to be intentional in our actions and in spreading the good news of Jesus Christ to the wonderful Haitian people. Therefore we want to show love, boldness, courage, humility, wisdom, and peace to the Haitians. This will in return strengthen our identities in Christ and truly force us to step out of our comfort zones for these people.

I have learned that simply listening to what the Holy Spirit is telling you is one thing, but by being completely moved to a point where we step out of our comfort zones and truly acting upon what God is calling us to do is when we see His presence and His good. Although I’m not completely sure of all that God has in store for our team throughout this trip, I hope that we will be able to serve Him to the very best of our abilities and see Him working for the children at CHCH and throughout the community!